


Secrets hidden in the night... And a fifties diner.

by RobotRabbit



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, Safe Space, Sternclay Big Bang, Time Piece, first fic in a while
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22517254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobotRabbit/pseuds/RobotRabbit
Summary: Agent stern is a 1950's private detective on a missing persons case. When he arrives n the small city of Kepler looking for answers, he finds more than he bargained for.
Relationships: Barclay/Agent Stern (The Adventure Zone), Dani/Aubrey Little, Indrid Cold/Duck Newton
Comments: 8
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Go easy on me.

Stern tapped his pencil and sighed as he looked over the papers in front of him for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Strewn across the old desk his hotel room provided was everything he had on what was turning out to be the hardest and most important case of his career. All he had to go on were a handful of sketches and interviews, (both of varying levels of believability), several old photos, a witness’s written statement, and not much else. There was something there, he knew there was. There had to be. He knew there were some secrets he had missed or some hidden clues that would reveal the resolution to the entire mystery laid before him in perfect clarity. But, every time he tried to find it he found himself getting more and more lost. He sighed, reading over the notes he had memorized yet again…

Roger daniels, missing since December 10th, 1946. No foul play suspected. By all accounts, it just looked as if his apartment had been packed up in a hurry, and though no reason could be found as to why, it seemed the man had just decided to skip town without warning. The detectives and other officers with interest in the case at the time had eventually dropped it, deciding that whatever his reason for leaving was, nothing could be found to prove that he had been in any danger, so it was no longer worth their time. The case had been promptly ended there, labeled a cold case not worth opening again. Eventually, everyone stopped talking about it. Everyone, except a one Miss Natalie Barnes, who insisted her friend would never have just up and left her and their other loved ones without a word of explanation. She insisted that he was too good a man, and as she begged Agent Stern to take her case, she regaled him with a much more outrageous explanation for his disappearance. It was a tale that she had told many times before, one that she would desperately retell to anyone who would listen, anyone who offered even a chance of helping her, for just a chance at finding the truth. 

Almost everyone she brought it to had laughed in her face.

She told the tale of a large beast, ten feet tall with glowing yellow eyes, glistening fangs, claws large as kitchen knives, and thick, matted fur that more closely resembled porcupine quilts than the fur of any wolf or bear. She had begged Stern to believe her as she retold the story of what happened that night, the night she saw the beast, and the last night she ever saw her friend’s face. She begged him to listen, to believe her, and to help her find the truth of what had really happened to her friend, just like she had begged of so many others before. She begged him to listen, and unlike so many before him, he did. He listened, and he believed her because she wasn’t the only one who was still haunted by the memory of a beast-of-nightmares. He listened, and he promised her he would find the truth, find out what had happened to him, and find proof that the beast she saw was so much more than mere imagination.

He was beginning to remember why a person should never make promises in this business.

He growled in frustration at the memory, slamming the file shut. He wasn’t getting anything done like this. His hotel room was small, cramped, and completely devoid of inspiration. Surely that was the problem. The faded walls and scent of mothballs were beginning to make him feel as washed out and faded as literally all of the decor. He needed a break. A change of scenery, some fresh air, maybe some food to fuel his brain, and before he knew it, he would be on to a new lead, for sure. He even remembered a diner not too far from the hotel that he had seen on his way in. It had looked small and welcoming, and signs in the windows had promised fresh-baked goods and hot coffee. He honestly couldn't think of anything more perfect to clear his head, so without much more thought he packed up a briefcase, donned his jacket and shoes, and headed out the door.  
  


* * *

  
“Duck, will you be mad if I take the last waffle on my break?”‌

“They're not vegan.”‌

“Duck I’m… I’m not vegan.”

“Right… What's the difference again?”‌

“…I’m gonna just take it.”‌

Barclay sighed, unable to keep a smile off his face as he listened to his friend's antics. “Aubrey, don't forget to mark your times down, or we’ll have a repeat of last week.‌”‌‌ He reminded her as she flew past him, waffle in hand, through the kitchen, and into the small locker room in the back where she had her jacket and who-knows-what-else hidden.

“I’m sorry Duck, but it's probably for the best, those waffles were meant for the breakfast rush, so they're probably a little dry by now. I can cook something else up for you if you want. Or I suppose I could whip up a new batch of batter if you really wanted them.”‌ He promised, refilling his friend's coffee without much thought. Duck always had at least three cups before he left the diner, apparently to keep him awake while he filled out countless pages of boring paperwork for his job overseeing the cities many parks, trails, and other recreational spaces.

“No, that’s fine.”‌ Duck shrugged it off, and Barclay knew he should have expected that answer. He never was the type of man to expect his friends to put extra work in just to please him. Barclay admired that about him. “Unless… What soups were you thinking of doing up for lunch?”‌ There was a hint of hope in the other man's question that made Barclay roll his eyes.

_“Well,”_ He started. “I‌ have a chicken noodle just about  done that I was going mark as the soup of the day, and I was thinking of maybe  just throwing together a mixed vegetable for those like our friend Aubrey. I  guess I _could_ pull together a pot of french onion together by lunch, but it  would be a bit more work, and it takes a while... You’d have to wait a couple of  hours if you wanted it to actually be any good. Sorry Duck, I’ll start it early  and have it as the special tomorrow, alright?”‌ Duck nodded, trying his best to keep any disappointment from his face at the slight let down. 

“Sounds great Barclay. I actually wouldn't mind giving the  chicken soup a try, if that's alright?”‌ Barclay smiled and opened his mouth  respond, but he was cut off by their young friend tossing herself down in the  seat across from Duck and answering for him.

“Of course he doesn't mind! That's what he’s here for, right  Barclay?!”‌ She was a wild young woman, with thick and dangerous makeup and  brilliant red hair that made her look undeniably rebellious even as she wore  the sweet yellow dress that was the uniform for all of their waitresses. He’d  be annoyed with her for the implication if she wasn’t somehow also one of his  closest friends.

“Actually Aubrey, that's what _you_ are here for, remember?‌  I cook, _you_ wait tables.”‌

“Yes, but I’m on my break, and you're already here, taking his order.”‌ She reminded, an innocent smile on her face. Of course, he caved, just like she’d known he would.

“Alright, alright. One bowl of chicken soup, bread, and  butter on the side. Anything else?”‌

“Apple pie!”

“I meant anything else for _Duck_ Aubrey… Didn’t you just  have a waffle?”‌

“I did, and now I want apple pie.”‌

“…Could you at least _pay_ for your pie, since you sort of  already stole your free snack?”‌

Aubrey mulled it over, before nodding solemnly. “Take it off  my check.”‌‌ She said seriously as if they were discussing the pros and cons of  a large investment and not a 20 cent piece of pie. She was a living headache,  this girl.

Barclay shrugged and nodded, heading off to get their orders  together. Although he knew he should really hope for full tables and large  orders, he was honestly thankful that it was just the three of them in the  diner for the moment. He couldn't exactly call it peaceful, not with Aubrey on  the loose, but it gave him a moment to let his hair down, so to speak. To tidy  things up and make sure nothing was burning. It gave a moment with his thoughts  before the lunch rush set in and his mind was forced to focus on juggling five  orders at once.

He had just gotten the plates together for his friends when the bell above the door rang through the small diner. So much for his time alone with his thoughts. 

He quickly finished what he was doing before heading out, tray in hand, to deliver the food and move on to the new customer. He’d only just stepped into the main area of the restaurant when he caught sight of the man, and he physically stopped in his tracks. He was new, someone he had never seen before in the restaurant, and he was _handsome._ He had sleek dark hair a sharp square jaw that made Barclay swallow hard. It took him much too long to realize he was staring and force his eyes away, but thankfully the other man hadn’t seemed to notice, too preoccupied with whatever was in the small black notebook he held. He shook it off as quickly as he could and made his way over to his friends, who also seemed too caught up in whatever they were discussing to have noticed his momentary lapse.

“And I _tried_ using carrots to lure him, but nothing works! Dani thinks rabbits just aren’t made for complicated choreography, but the trick just doesn't _work_ without him!”

“Hmmm…”‌ Duck thought it over, apparently very invested in helping Aubrey train her rabbit to perform whatever complicated magical performance she was working on this week. “Maybe you can dress up like a bunny and show him what he’s supposed to do?”‌

He quickly dropped off their orders and left the two to continue their conversation, before making his way over to the man who had thrown him for such a loop just moments ago. He made a point to shove any intrusive thoughts he might have about the way the man looked in his dapper suit, or how he bit his lip just slightly as he focused hard on whatever he was working on deep down inside before plastering the most polite, yet neutral smile he could muster onto his face.

“Hello!‌ Ah, I’m Barclay. Could I get you anything to drink while you look over our menu?‌ Water?‌‌ Coffee?”‌ Barclay had never been very good at speaking to anyone he found attractive, and he could feel a blush creeping up to his cheeks as the other man blinked away from his work and looked up at him, but he had managed to speak without a stutter, so he still counted this as a win.

“Oh, sorry about that.” His smile was slightly sheepish as if he had just been caught doing something he hadn’t been supposed to. His eyes were a crystalline blue. “Yes. Coffee would be excellent thank you.”‌ He answered with a nod, before shoving the book he’d been staring at back down into his case and reaching for the menu instead.

“You’ve got it.”‌ Barclay nodded with a warm smile, before heading back to fetch the man his drink. “Aubrey, you're only on a fifteen, start thinking about wrapping things up soon alright?”‌‌ He reminded as he passed the girl.

“Aw Baaaaarclay!‌ There's literally _no one_ in here!”‌ She protested, much too loud now that they had an actual customer, in his opinion.

“Untrue. There is a gentleman sitting right over there, and I am sure he would appreciate some proper service very soon.”‌ As much as he _absolutely_ would not mind continuing to take care of the man himself, he sort of needed to be ready to actually _cook_ whatever he decided to order, and he would prefer if she could also go over the tables and floor again before the lunch rush really set in so the place wouldn't be an _absolute_ disaster by the end of the day. Aubrey whined and slid back further in her seat, much to Ducks apparent amusement, but he knew he’d gotten the point across, so he continued on to the task at hand, fetching a mug and the coffee pot for his guest. 

“Right, so, like I was saying. He just doesn’t _get_ it Duck! I show him everything he’s supposed to do, but he just stares at me with this blank expression!‌ Like, like a, um…”

“Like a rabbit?”‌

“Oh come on, that's not fair. Doctor Harris Bonkers is a very smart rabbit. I know he can get this.”‌

Stern had been trying desperately not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but they were really the only other people in the diner, and if it was a toss-up between that, and looking at his notes again… 

He stood from his seat several booths away before setting up camp much closer to the two and clearing his throat. “Um, sorry to intrude, but if I may… My younger sister used to keep rats, and know rabbits aren’t exactly rodents, but… She was able to teach them to perform a large number of impressive tricks by starting them on an incredibly simple version of the trick, and slowly increasing the expectation. Perhaps that might work with your bunny?”‌

The two were silent for a moment, both slightly stunned, before Aubrey grinned wide.

“That actually makes a lot of sense! Start him off small and work up to the cool stuff… I can do that. Thanks for the tip!” Stern beamed. He’d been so wrapped up in his work lately that he hadn’t really had a chance to work on any actually human interactions. It was nice to make someone smile. 

“Oh its no problem. I couldn’t help but overhear, and knowing I had information that might have proved helpful and didn’t share would have eaten at me. But, you are welcome all the same.”‌

He was fully prepared to back off and let the two continue their conversation then, but Aubrey wouldn’t allow it. 

“My name’s Aubrey. This is Duck. What's yours?”‌

“Detective Stern. Or, ah, rather… I realize you weren't really asking for something so formal, were you?‌ Just, Stern is fine.” At the mention of his ‘detective’ title, both his new friends seemed to sit a little straighter, but Aubrey kept her smile going strong and just started on another story about her rabbit without mentioning it, now including Stern in her audience. 

When Barclay returned with a fresh pot of coffee (he’d had to make more thanks to Ducks addiction) he was momentarily surprised to find his customers table suddenly empty. For a sliver of a second, disappointment filled him, and then he heard a new voice at the table where he’d left his friends, and as he turned he found the man sitting next to Duck, laughing at something Aubrey was saying. He smiled, before making his way over to the group. 

“Well hello there. Making new friends I see?”‌

“Barclay!‌ This is detective Stern!”‌ Detective? “He knows how to train rats!” Instantly the newcomer was as red as Aubrey’s hair. 

“My sister does!‌ She used to keep them when we were children. I was simply offering young Aubrey some advice on training her rabbit. I understand she's quite the magician.”

Barclay shook off the initial nerves that inevitably appeared any time investigators and agents were nearby, putting on a smile. He had no reason to suspect this posed any threat to him or his family here. “She is pretty impressive. When she isn’t causing accidental explosions.”‌

“Hey!‌ I put the fire out!”‌

“After it nearly ruined one of Mama’s wooden sculptures.”‌ Duck reminded, grinning. 

“It didn’t even get close to the woodworking stuff!‌ You guys are just jerks.”‌ Aubrey huffed and crossed her arms, causing the group to laugh. 

Eventually, Barlay was able to corral Aubrey back on to the floor, but Duck invited the detective to continue sitting with him while they ate, and the two enjoyed a surprisingly enjoyable conversation about agriculture and music. Every now and then, Barclay or Aubrey would have a moment to chime in with some wisdom of their own, and the conversation would continue. Before he knew it, Stern had spent hours at the diner, enjoying himself, talking, and almost completely forgetting about the notes in his bag. It was nice to have an actual distraction from the heavy thoughts that normally chased him like a dark cloud, ready to hide him away from any source of sunshine. 

Eventually, he did need to get back to his business, but it was easier now. Like a weight had been lifted. He would have to make a point to visit the Amnesty Diner again sometime soon. 

  
  
  
  



	2. Secrets Secrets

The moon stood high in a clear and cloudless sky, surrounded by a bright canopy of endless and countless stars. The contrast between the glittering lights in the heavens and deep blue that shrouded the land was beautiful, and still. Of course, detective Stern could appreciate none of this, because he was locked inside his stuffy motel room, reading interviews he refused to let go of.

He had spent a good portion of his day at the diner again that morning, as he had come to do almost every morning that week. He was becoming something of a usual customer, and he had since gotten to know more of the staff as a result. Dani was a charming young woman, with a sea of blond hair and interest in gardening that reminded him of his mother. She and Aubrey were apparently in a relationship and watching the teenagers flirt and flounder was endlessly amusing. He had also met a young man named Jake who had somehow gotten him invested in a nearly three-hour debate about cross-country vrs downhill skiing, despite the fact that it only ever snowed a few inches or less in their area 

Needless to say, he had gotten very little done when it came to actually solve the case he’d come here with.

The truth was that the case was going cold, and was just desperately clinging to the last few strings of hope that he could revive it. This whole trip was beginning to feel like a wasted effort. All he even had were a few old interviews from this town that he’d found in the back of the public cold case archives, yellowed and dusty and forgotten, and somehow let himself get excited. It had been stupid. Most of the witnesses were untraceable now, and the one witness he had located had found her own memories of the event distant and unreachable. It was fair, she had been nearly ninety years old. He sighed, pushing himself away from his desk. This wasn't working. 

Eventually, he pushed himself away from his desk, pulling on his coat and shoes and leaving his room in a huff. Before he knew it, he was in his car, driving to the nearest park so he wouldn't have to walk all the way there. He’d like to have been able to lie to himself, say the walk was to clear his head, come back with fresh eyes, but he knew it was pointless. A late-night stroll wasn’t going to be enough to magically grain him new evidence, and new leads to follow, and without it, he knew he wouldn't get any closer to the answer.

Still, the fresh air was nice, and it was refreshing to take in the sights of the city without the haze of humans and lights and sounds to cloud it. He eventually decided to take a walk along the trail through one of the small wooded areas near his building. At night, the woods took on a whole new personality. They felt deep and endless. He felt like he could walk through them for hours before meeting a single other human being. It was refreshing, to feel so completely alone in the universe. 

Well, completely alone, until he noticed a faded figure in walking in the distance, far off the beaten section of the trail. So much for being completely alone in the universe. Stern slowed his pace, cautious, but holding off his heavier suspicious until he had more information. After all, whoever it was, they weren’t the only one walking around the parks long after dark. As he walked closer, and the man walked out of the woods, a familiar form began to take shape before him. The man was tall, and a little burly, with a familiar flannel shirt, and a scruffy beard. He was walking slowly, with intent, and one arm raised. It wasn't until he was a bit closer that he could see, dangling from his closed fist, a chain with what he swore was a faintly glowing orange crystal at the end of it. And, it wasn't until he was a bit closer, that he realized he recognized the man's face, and a grin slowly stretched across his lips. Barclay was paying rapt attention to this pendant that he’s holding, so much so that it took him a moment longer than it had for Stern to realize he wasn't alone in the woods, but the moment he did, his first instinct was to clumsily try to nonchalantly pull the crystal back up into his hand to hide it. Interesting. Stern decided to file that information away for later, for now allowing the other man to think that he had succeeded in his efforts. 

He seemed nervous, almost as if, just as Stern hadn’t anticipated seeing anyone else out in the woods that night, Barclay had also not anticipated seeing anybody else out in the woods that night.

“Oh, hey! Hi. Hello, other… Oh. Stern. Hi. You’re… _here._ And that’s great. Hi.”‌ Well, at least Stern didn’t have to worry about Barclay secretly being a criminal mastermind… With a poker face like that, he had trouble believing Barclay could be keeping any impressive secrets at all.

“Well hello there Barclay! Funny seeing you out here so late.”‌ He smiled politely as he spoke, finally starting to relax. He wouldn't have thought much of the slightly awkward meeting if it weren't for the fact that Barclay was obviously a little nervous about _something._ He certainly had no complaints about seeing the man again but under the circumstances… He had to admit it was a little, odd. It may be nothing, and even if it were _something,_ it more than likely had _nothing_ to do with _his_ investigation, but he was a curious man after all. 

Barclay relaxed slightly, flashing a small smile. 

“Oh, is it?‌ I mean, yeah, yes, I suppose it is… I just, couldn't sleep?”‌‌ He tried, doing his best to hold a confident smile. For a moment, he almost seemed to forget whatever it was that had him out so late, suspiciously wandering the woods, in the middle of the night. And then his eyes flashed over the detective's shoulder. “Sorry, um…”‌ He glanced around again then, shifting slightly on his feet as if he was eager to get this conversation done with quickly. “You seem like a busy guy?‌ Maybe?‌ What, what brings a guy like you out to a place like this so late…?”

“Oh, you know. I was just out getting some fresh air, hoping the walk could help me sleep. I am really struggling with this case I’m working on…”

Barclay nodded, looking as if he was only half-listening. He was looking for something, Stern was sure of it. What was he looking for… “Oh, so you're, you're _alone_ out here?‌ In the woods, in the middle of the night?”‌‌ Stern nodded and slid his hands into his pockets, if only for something to do with them. Barclay seemed satisfied with that answer, nodding slightly himself, before looking around again, skimming the darkness quickly. It almost seemed like he was afraid of what he would see out there…

“So… It really is getting late. Are you, uh… Planning on sticking around, for much longer?”‌ Stern took a beat, studying the other man for a moment, considering the situation, before shaking his head. “No, no, I was just taking a short break. Deadlines and commitments, you know.”‌ The relief in Barclay's form was instantaneous. Whatever he was so worried about, Stern's presence clearly made it worse.

“Well, alright, it was nice to see you again then, and ah… Now you’re gonna... you were just leaving, you were saying?”

And it was just as he said that Stern suddenly realized that his nerves may have been worthy of a little more merit, because just as he said that, from out in the woods, almost directly behind the other man, he saw a figure emerge, skulking toward the two of them. At that moment Stern came to three realizations simultaneously. The first was that he could actually _see_ that crystal that Barclay was trying to hide in his fist shining through the cracks in his fingers with undeniable strength and power. The second was that there was definitely something wrong with the figure that was skulking out of the woods. It was moving kind of unnaturally, with its neck cocked to the side at a completely unnatural angle, and it had a thick trail of black ooze streaming out of its mouth. And stern swore, though it was moving, its face looked somehow… lifeless. But the third, and somehow most concerning realization he had at that moment, was that he recognize this figure. He recognized it because, at the behest of his parents, he had been forced to spend several summers in the mountains of West Virginia as a child, and that had been enough. He was certain, without a shadow of a doubt. It was a bobcat.

His mouth went dry, and as he opened it to speak a warning to his friend, he found himself unable to make a sound. Thankfully, something in his expression was enough to alert Barclay of the danger, and he turned slowly to see what had spooked him. He froze when his eyes met with the beasts.

Barclay still had his arm at his side, the one that wasn’t holding the _glowing_ crystal, but with the other, he stretched out his fingers, almost as if he was trying to give Stern a silent warning, a subtle, silent, _Stay back,_ before quietly, ever so softly and just barely out of the side of his mouth, he whispered to stern.

“Walk back slowly to the trail, and go.”‌

“What?!”‌‌ Stern whispered back harshly, as loud as he dared. Who did this man think he was?! How could he expect him to just leave another person alone with such a beast and no means to defend himself?!‌ And furthermore, even if it _was_ in the form of a possibly undead horror with obvious ill-intent, this was the first real proof he’d been able to gather that the nightmares he and Miss Barnes shared were more than just that. That they were something _real,_ and he wasn’t backing away from that now. “I am not _leaving_ you to-”‌

_ “Shhh!” _

“…Alright,”‌He started again, more quietly this time. “But you need to come with me.”‌ He was a witness, another person who had seen the beast so it wouldn't be just his word. He needed him, as well. “The trail is right back here, so let's just be slow, and careful, and we’ll get out of here.”

“Okay… I’m going to start walking backward slowly, and you do that, _also.”_ Yeah, they were pretty much on the exact same page there. And so the two of them did start walking backward slowly, and for a moment, the creature was still. And, for a moment, Stern actually believed they might make it out of this alive. And then, almost as if some distant god had heard his thoughts, and immediately felt the need to prove him wrong, Barclay stepped on a twig, sending a decisive _snap_ ringing through the air, and also sending the bobcat charging toward them.

It was coming at him so fast, he was surprised he even had a moment to notice how Barclay looked toward him and said…

_ “God, I hope you can keep a secret.” _

As the bobcat charged, Stern found himself only able to form one solid, _urgent_ thought, and that was to _run._ He immediately wanted to turn heel, run as fast as he could, and beg any god he didn’t believe in to let him somehow outrun the beast. And yet, instead, he stayed frozen in place, feet glued to the ground and legs stiff and unmoving as he stared down the charging animal.

Barclay seemed to share his initial thought, and somehow, miraculously, had actually been able to accomplish the goal, but for some reason, unlike Stern, who had had the _sane_ response, and wanted nothing more than to run _away_ from the danger, Barclay stood tall and ran right for it. He charged forward with purpose and determination, and for some reason, as he watched this powerful man rush into danger like it was nothing but second nature, the only thought bouncing around in sterns mind was that he had never actually noticed the thin, woven hemp bracelet he wore tucked under his sleeve, and that it was nice. It suited him.

What sad final thoughts that would have been.

Thankfully, they weren’t his final thoughts, because as soon as the thought came to him Barclay untied the bracelet, and in the blink of an eye, where the gentle, bearded man he was just talking to disappeared, and in his place, stood the Beast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled a lot writing this, but that's really no excuse to have left it sitting in my drafts for nearly a month untouched. Sorry.


End file.
